Argentina

[AURELIUS]

I'm sure Messi vehemently disagrees with this selfish opinion. He fought to go to Beijing and winning with Argentina would trump everything as he himself said winning anything with Barcelona. You realize he is Argentino through and through ?

As for the team it is in transition. Scaloni is experimenting with players. And there are a good crop of young keepers and defenders emerging. The problem is they are still very raw and by the time they have matured Messi will have retired.Balerdi, Perez, Garay and Foyth for instance and between the sticks Roffo, Portau and Gimenez.

Of the current keepers Musso and Benitez should be fighting for the spot. Rulli is so very inconsistent. The team certainly needs a midfield destroyer to complement Lo Celso and one other. Asascibar has still played well especially recently for Stuttgart and Nicolas Dominguez of Velez is an outstanding young player in the same mould. The future is very bright for the seleccion with the plans for a domestic based and European based team to have formal training sessions. South American teams suffer from their player diaspora without question. And the u20 and u17 are doing very well and should be strong contenders in Poland and Brazil (final qualification to be completed). They have plenty of huevos and character and plenty of skill.

 

[Messigician]

Why isn't Romero being selected?

 

[Altomonte]

Messi delivered - 2 goals so far

 

[Altomonte]

second half coming up

 

[Altomonte]

ARG looking better than expected - maybe there is hope for Messi

 

[Luftstalag14]

ARG looking better than expected - maybe there is hope for Messi

No disrespect to Nicaraguan Cules but let's face it, it is Nicaragua they are playing against, which ranks 129th in the world.

 

[Messigician]

Argentina have a very good press one of the best I've seen internationally.

 

[eaman]

I only saw the first 30 minutes and the team wasn't really gelling in that time. Only Messi and lo celso looked good. Hopefully aguero and the rest will step up when the tournament starts

 

[AURELIUS]

Why isn't Romero being selected?

Scaloni told him I am not picking reserves. About time too. Romero has been quite content to sit on his backside picking up his cheque. That sort of mentality is not a good one. Now with Musso, Benitez, Rossi coming up and Gazzaniga his time is over.

 

[AURELIUS]

So after a slow start there are plenty of signs for optimism. The midfield has been overhauled and full of energy and dynamism.

de Paul has been superb but should take over on the left allowing Lo Celso the central playmaking role. Behind them I would take Asascibar or Foyth over Paredes who has played reasonably well but is not mobile or physical enough and does not drop into space enough or is not vertical enough either.

There is a need to find a replacement for Otamendi at the back. Not good enough on the ball. Problem is Balerdi, Foyth, Perez are all very young and inexperienced and Romero is the number one candidate to succeed. Right back Saravia looked out of sorts probably not being match fit after an injury lay off. Leonardo Godoy is an option. Tagliafico was solid as ever at left back.

Players like Zaracho and Palacios are also there to come into midfield to provide steel and creativity. Upfront is a concern given Icardi is being an idiot and Martinez is the only nine left after Kun retires with ability although Alario showed a recovery in form at the end of the BL season. Martinez needs to work on his initial sprint and first touch to become the sort of striker Kun was initially. But overall it's a great step forward from last summer. Gallardo may well take over this December but I hope he keeps Scaloni, Samuel, Ayala and Aimar on board and bring Beccacece in for the tournament itself as an analyst.

 

[Bulgroz]

Hey, do we have anyone from Argentina on this board, by any chance ? Going there in august/sept, and there's a River - Boca on the 1er of september. I want to buy tickets, wanted to know if there was a best way to get them.

 

[EdmondDantes]

Hey, do we have anyone from Argentina on this board, by any chance ? Going there in august/sept, and there's a River - Boca on the 1er of september. I want to buy tickets, wanted to know if there was a best way to get them.

I'm not from Argentina but I listened to Tim Vickery as a guest on this podcast once, called "Hand of Pod", they're a couple of English lads/journalists who live in Argentina and release this podcast about Argentina's league.

They always attend games and stuff. So they must know a thing or two about purchasing tickets there.

https://twitter.com/handofpod?lang=en

That's their twitter handle, if you message them, they'll probably help you out.



Bit of a long-shot though. Hopefully someone here has a better suggestion for ya.

 

[Bulgroz]

I'm not from Argentina but I listened to Tim Vickery as a guest on this podcast once, called "Hand of Pod", they're a couple of English lads/journalists who live in Argentina and release this podcast about Argentina's league.

They always attend games and stuff. So they must know a thing or two about purchasing tickets there.

https://twitter.com/handofpod?lang=en

That's their twitter handle, if you message them, they'll probably help you out.



Bit of a long-shot though. Hopefully someone here has a better suggestion for ya.

Thanks a lot, we'll try that!

 

[Altomonte]

Watching the Germany - Argentina friendly with MAtS in goal. The young ARG players are doing quite well so far. I think there is some hope for Messi with his NT.

 

[Yannik]

Watching the Germany - Argentina friendly with MAtS in goal. The young ARG players are doing quite well so far. I think there is some hope for Messi with his NT.

ehh not really so far.